Asiacell Telecom Company (, ) is an
Iraqi telecommunications company
A telecommunications company is a kind of electronic communications service provider, more precisely a telecommunications service provider (TSP), that provides telecommunications services such as telephony and data communications access. Many t ...
that offers
mobile phone
A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones ( landline phones). This rad ...
services and
Mobile Internet
The mobile web comprises mobile browser-based World Wide Web services accessed from handheld mobile devices, such as smartphones or feature phones, through a mobile or other wireless network.
History and development
Traditionally, the World ...
mainly in
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
.
History
Asiacell, the first mobile telecommunications company in Iraq, was established in the city of
Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah or Slemani (; ), is a city in the east of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and is the capital of the Sulaymaniyah Governorate. It is surrounded by the Azmar (Ezmer), Goizha (Goyje) and Qaiwan (Qeywan) Mountains in the northeast, Bara ...
in the
Kurdistan Region
Kurdistan Region (KRI) is a semi-autonomous Federal regions of Iraq, federal region of the Iraq, Republic of Iraq. It comprises four Kurds, Kurdish-majority governorates of Arabs, Arab-majority Iraq: Erbil Governorate, Sulaymaniyah Governorate ...
in 1999.
Asiacell began its first commercial operations in 2000.
In October 2003, Asiacell was granted a two-year GSM license for the six northern provinces of Iraq, catering in the process to a wider client base who collectively shared a need for a quality mobile network. The license was extended in 2005 to cover the entirety of the Iraqi Republic. Consequently, today it is the only telecom network to provide coverage nationwide.
In August 2007, Asiacell bid and won a 15-year national license, becoming the GSM telecom operator with the largest long-term network coverage in the country. The company's breakthrough successes have naturally led to its expansion and growth, thereby quickly reaching almost 2000 employees. The famous Kurdish singer
Chopy Fatah became the cultural ambassador of the company in 2008. To handle new business operations, Asiacell also simultaneously established new executive offices in Baghdad, Mosul, and other major cities in Iraq,
Today, the company caters to more than 9.1 million subscribers around the country.
On February 2, 2013, Asiacell went public offering 25% of its equity, in an IPO that was considered the largest in the MEANA region since 2008.
In April 2015, the Iraqi singer-songwriter
Kadhim Al-Saher became a representative of the brand.
In February 2017, the company began offering free access to Wikipedia for its customers, despite complications regarding Net Neutrality provisions.
See also
*
Korek Telecom
Korek Telecom () is an Iraqi telecommunications company in Erbil, Kurdistan Region.
In March 2011, France Télécom (now Orange S.A.) acquired a 20% indirect stake in Korek Telecom.
On Jan 1, 2015, Korek launched 3G in Iraq after winning one o ...
References
External links
*
Mobile phone companies of Iraq
Telecommunications in Asia
{{Asia-company-stub